Thermomechanical factors in molybdenum field emitter operation and failure

A thermomechanical analysis of many of the basic effects which might be expected to play a role in field emitter array breakdown is given. We find that of the "intrinsic" factors considered only the large Maxwell stresses induced by the electric field might possibly lead to failure. Direct thermal effects are always insignificant. Failure modes associated with "extrinsic" phenomena such as arcing or from tip "imperfections" such as grain boundaries have not been studied and these may also be important.<>